Minato Namikaze A Jinchuriki's Tale
by The Sage118000
Summary: What if Minato Namikaze had never died? What if the Third Hokage arrived in time to save both Minato and Kushina from the Kyuubi? What if Naruto had grown up with a family and without the Kyuubi inside him? This story takes the point of view of Minato.
1. Awakening

Chapter 1- The beginning

Minato woke up slowly, his eyes fluttering open. His mouth was so dry, and his head was pounding. He couldn't recall what had happened the night before.

"Kushina…" he groaned.

He threw off the covers, rubbing his eyes. For some reason his room looked different than what he remembered.

_Ugh, my head,_ he groaned inwardly.

He stood up, but fell back down on the bed when he quickly lost his balance.

_That's weird… Maybe my legs are asleep?_

He tried to stand again, wobbled, almost fell again, but gained his balance and remained upright. He proceeded to walk around the room, feeling like an old man. He was teetering dangerously, but after a while he managed to stand and walk just fine.

He slid his bedroom door open and stuck his head out. "Kushina?" he called. "You home?" No answer.

He went down the hall, his bare feet slapping at the wooden floors. He got to the back door and slid it open. He looked outside, inhaled the fresh air, and sighed, when he saw her.

Kushina was sitting on the porch, holding baby Naruto in her arms and rocking gently. Apparently she hadn't heard him come outside.

Minato approached warily, not wanting to fall down the steps and onto his wife and child. As he got closer, he could see her head bobbing, and tears falling from her pale, beautiful face. She was whispering something over and over again as if chanting.

He put his hand on her shoulder and immediately felt her tense up.

"Kushina," he asked, "What's wrong?"

She spun around so fast that he didn't have time to blink. Her tear-stained eyes widened in shock and her mouth flew open.

"M-Minato?" She whispered.

"Yes, it's me." He said, smiling. "Were you expecting someone else?"

At this, tears started flowing down her face. She put Naruto in his crib and shakily rose to her feet.

"We thought you were gone for good. The strain was almost too much, and we-" She broke off, wiping her face. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back!" She ran to him and embraced him so hard that he couldn't breathe.

"Babe, you're killing me." He grunted out.

"I don't care." She said, crushing him to herself even more.

"What's this all about?" He asked. He was confused.

She loosened her grip. "You mean, you don't remember?"

Minato felt left out. "No. I have no idea why you seem so worried. I just slept late, that's all. I must have had a big night." He chuckled. "Maybe I shouldn't sleep that long again though, seeing as how you almost just killed me."

Her expression turned solemn. "Minato. You seriously don't remember anything from that night?"

He shook his head. "No, not a thing. And what do you mean, 'from that night?' It's only been a couple days since Naruto has even been born, so what could I have possibly been doing?"

Kushina frowned. "Minato, Naruto is two months old now. You've been in a coma for two months."

Minato froze. "What?"

"That's why I was upset. You haven't shown any signs of recovering; ever. I thought… I thought that I'd lost you forever."

"How did this all happen?" Minato asked. "And why don't I remember? Tell me, what happened?"

Kushina hesitated. "Kushina. Please."

She sighed. "Minato…you… you have the Kyuubi sealed into you." She sounded like she didn't believe it herself.

Minato's blood froze. Flashes of memory burst like fireworks inside his pain-shrouded head: Naruto being born, Madara Uchiha appearing, Kushina's seal being broken, the Nine-tails loose, attacking Konoha, Minato summoning Gamabunta….then nothing. He vaguely remembered that the Third had shown up….but that's it. He couldn't remember anything further.

"Kushina, tell me everything."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I need to hear this. I need to remember."

"Okay." She began. "I was pregnant with Naruto, and I was in labor. We both knew that the Kyuubi's seal would be weakest during Naruto's birth, so you were there, reinforcing the seal. Then, Naruto was born. But Madara appeared and killed the ANBU that were guarding Naruto. Madara kidnapped the baby, but you rescued him. That gave Madara time to break the Kyuubi's seal, and the demon was set free. I was dying at that point, because the Kyuubi had been extracted. But, you saved me and won against Madara. You teleported back to Konoha and summoned Gamabunta to fight the Kyuubi, while you were going to prepare to bring forth the Shinigami. That's when the Third came. He stopped you from using the Shinigami, and, instead, performed the technique himself. He sealed away the Nine-tails' chakra into your body, but, your body couldn't take the strain and you collapsed and haven't woken up till now. As for me, the Third sealed away his life force into me in order to heal me. So, thanks to Hiruzen, we both are alive. The ANBU found us and brought us to the village, where the medics took a look at you, and determined that there was nothing they could do. Even Inoichi tried tapping into your mind to see what the problem was, but he was shut out by the Kyuubi. So I've been waiting, praying for you to come back, and now, you have."

"So…I'm a jinchuriki? I have that monster inside me?"

"Yes." She answered. "But you're not a monster; you're my husband, and I love you. The whole village does. They've been in an official state of mourning ever since you were brought back in the state that you were in. Everybody would love to know that you're awake."

"I-I don't know what to do. I'm so lost…I feel like I've woken up into a whole new world." Minato's voice was filled with dismay.

"Well, if you're lost, we'll have to find the way together." She hugged him again. "Now, how about you come say hello to your son?"

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ -Dreamscape-

**"_Rasengan!" Minato shouted, as he slammed the energy sphere into Madara Uchiha. _**

**_The villain gasped in pain and surprise and crumpled to the ground, blood leaking down his mask. To Minato's horror, he got back up. In a mocking voice, he said, "You're doomed, Minato. The Kyuubi will destroy all that you know. Your family, your friends, your nation; eventually it will consume you from the inside out. Then you'll be forced to watch as everything you hold dear is lost to you."_**

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

"No!" Minato awoke, shivering in cold sweat. Kushina was asleep beside him, looking every bit the angel as her face was framed by her gorgeous red hair.

Naruto was crying, and so Minato got up from bed to check on him. He didn't want the crying to wake Kushina up. She deserved her rest.

Minato took Naruto from his crib. As soon as he held the boy, the crying ceased, but Naruto started squirming and wiggling, fidgeting in Minato's arms.

"You sure are a ball of energy, aren't you? Well you can thank your mother for that." Minato said, and laughed quietly as the boy stretched out his little arms and sighed.

"Let's go for a walk Naruto." The baby didn't protest.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Konoha was so peaceful at night. The shops were all closed, their lights extinguished, and the streets were completely empty. The only sound was the tinkling of wind chimes and the sound of the breeze rustling through the trees. It was calming to Minato's stormy mind.

As he walked through the streets, still cradling Naruto, his thoughts wandered. The Third was dead, and he was a jinchuriki? What had happened to his life? The only thing he knew for sure was that he could no longer remain the Fourth Hokage. While he was aware that the daimyo must have put someone in charge in his stead, now that he was awake, the villagers were going to expect him to resume his leadership. But Minato simply couldn't. While he truly loved his village, he needed to take care of his family first. His poor wife had spent two months taking care of him and a baby. What kind of husband would he be if he abandoned them in favor of ridiculous paperwork?

He thought of suitable replacements. The Sannin? No… Jiraiya was too independent, Orochimaru was too ambitious and Tsunade was nowhere to be found. The village elders were too ingrained in the old ways, and Danzo was not even trustworthy. Who else was both powerful and wise enough to govern Konoha?

_Wait…Maybe, Sakumo? Yes, he would be perfect!_

Sakumo Hatake was just as strong as the Sannin, and wise too. He also loved the village so much. He would be a perfect Hokage.

Minato smiled. He was happy to find a replacement, but sad at the same time that his life had taken so difficult a turn. Everything he thought he'd known had been turned upside down. If only he'd been stronger, then the Third wouldn't have died to save him. If only he'd been able to kill Madara…

_**I can make you stronger**_… A deep, sinister voice called within Minato's head. _**Just let me help you, Minato; give yourself to me and I'll help you kill Madara. We'll track him down together**_.

_K-Kyuubi?_ Minato asked.

_**Who else? Just step inside my prison, and tear off the seal that holds me here. All your fears will be gone.**_

_I will never give anything to you. You're an evil creature and I would never give myself to you. Get it in your head._

_**You say that now, but you'll give in. You need me.**_

_I don't need you for anything. Go away and leave me alone_.

The Kyuubi didn't respond.

Naruto started crying again. The baby could probably detect the Fox's malicious chakra.

"It's okay, Naruto." Minato cooed. "It's okay." But he wasn't so sure.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Minato slipped the baby back into his crib silently. He looked down at his wife, and his heart filled with love. She was so beautiful, intelligent, caring. She was everything he'd ever wanted, and he knew he was lucky to have her.

He sank into his bed and out his arms around his wife. As if sensing his warmth, she snuggled closer.

"Love you, Kushina." He said, and fell asleep.


	2. The Fifth Hokage

Chapter 2—Celebration

The next day was celebration day.

After finding out that Minato had woken up, the whole village had gone crazy with relief. The days of mourning the Yellow Flash were officially over.

That morning, Minato had woken up to find happy villagers gathered outside his house, waiting for him to show himself. Kushina and Naruto were conspicuously gone.

Minato got washed up and fully dressed before exiting his house. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the villagers swarmed him and carried him on their shoulders, dragging him towards the center of town. Their cheering was so loud that Minato's ears were ringing.

As he reached the center of Konoha, he recognized some familiar faces: Rin and Kakashi, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, Ibiki, Fugaku Uchiha and his wife, Mikoto were there with their son Itachi and their infant Sasuke, and even Jiraiya had shown up. Minato looked out and saw Sakumo Hatake standing a good ways off from his son, looking at Rin and Kakashi with a wistful smile.

The celebration was just what Minato needed to lift his heavy heart. He couldn't help but be infected with everyone's joy, especially when it was so obviously directed towards him. He felt fortunate to be admired by so many people.

Suddenly, he was lowered to the ground in front of a raised platform. The villagers looked at him eagerly.

I guess they want a speech… He thought to himself.

He stepped onto the platform and cleared his voice. "First off I would like to thank all of you for coming, and for being there for my family when I was… gone. I owe you all very much.

"I know you were all worried, and I promise to try and avoid comas for the next few years." The crowd laughed. "But, on a serious note, I have to confess to you all that I don't have any plans of becoming Hokage again. To be perfectly honest, I'm not as strong as I was, and on top of that, my family needs my attention right now. I'm sorry, but I can't be your leader." The crowd protested loudly, saying that he was fine, that he was the best Hokage, but he was not and could not be persuaded.

"I won't be your hokage; however, I nominate Sakumo Hatake to take my place as the Fifth Hokage." He could feel the surprise transforming the crowd. Some people still called out to him, trying to get him to go back on his words, but others were starting to think. Sakumo was actually a very good choice, considering. He had always been faithful to Konoha, and he was certainly strong.

"Sakumo Hatake, if you accept this nomination, please step forward." Minato knew the man would not say no. The crowd parted, and Sakumo walked forward. He stepped onto the platform.

"I accept the nomination, Naminkaze-sama." He addressed the villagers. "People of Konoha, if you accept me, I will take this office. I respect Namikaze-sama's decisions, and it would give me great pleasure and pride to become your new Hokage."

The applause was tentative at first, but then it grew to a deafening uproar.

Minato clapped his hand on Sakumo's shoulder. "I give you the Fifth Hokage!" He announced.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

"So…how's married life treating you?" Jiraiya asked.

Minato had met up with Jiraiya at Ichiraku's and the two were just chatting, catching up on old times.

"It's treating me way better than I deserve." Minato replied.

"Really?" Jiraiya smiled. "That's good to know. Kushina hasn't killed you yet?"

Minato shook his head. "No. plus, I'm not sure if she can compete with Madara Uchiha and a Nine-tailed demon fox trying to kill me."

Jiraiya chuckled. "I wouldn't say that while she was around. That woman scares me to death."

They both laughed.

"And how's my godson?"

"He's… well; maybe a little too vigorous."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with that." Jiraiya commented. "If I remember correctly, you were pretty energetic when you were a kid too. You can't blame your _son_ for being like you."

The two shared a moment of silence, remembering.

Minato broke the silence. "So, how long are you staying for?"

Jiraiya grunted. "I don't know. Just for a little while. I mean, I missed the Third's funeral; the least I can do is make sure the village is okay before I leave again. And I have to make sure my idiot student is alright after his… ordeal."

"Right. And I'm sure the hot springs has nothing to do with your decision to stay?" Minato said mischievously.

"Minato, really, you think I, the great toad sage, would succumb so easily to the charms of attractive women?"

"Yes, Sensei."

Jiraiya laughed hard. "You'd be right, my student."

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Minato was exhausted. The day had been long and tiring, and even though it had felt good, his weakened body couldn't handle all the action. As night fell, he said his goodbyes to Jiraiya and went home. Kushina was already home, and Naruto was in bed, asleep.

"Where have you been?" She asked curiously.

"With Jiraiya-sensei at Ichiraku's." Minato replied. "Ugh, I'm so tired though, my legs feel like rubber and my head feels empty."

He went to his room and dropped like a stone, landing face-down on the bed. He groaned.

Kushina entered the room. "You did good today, babe." She said, smiling proudly.

"Yea, I suppose." He answered. "But I'm so tired I might just stay in another coma. This day drained me."

"Aww…my poor baby." Kushina teased, massaging his necks and shoulders.

"Thanks. I needed that." He said. Then he started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Kushina asked.

"Nothing. Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you. Where did you go wrong getting stuck with a deadbeat like me?"

"Aww, honey, thanks; but you're not a deadbeat. You're a loving father and my husband. Just because you're a little weak doesn't mean that you're a deadbeat. You'll get your strength back anytime now." She was worried about Minato. He was usually positive about everything.

He sighed, whether in contentment or sadness, she couldn't tell.

"I need to start training." He declared.

"I would have to agree, Mr. Flabby." She teased again, pinching his arm.

"That's not funny." He said, holding back laughter. "Don't make me hurt you."

"Oh really? Hurt me? Are you forgetting that I used to send boys to the hospital when I was younger? Hmm?" She poked him in the side.

He paled. "You're right, I'm so sorry, please forgive me." He joked.

"I'll think about it." She said, after seconds of mock consideration.

"Well, if you won't forgive you, maybe I'll just have to get where… you…are weakest!" He spun around, his hands flashing, grabbing her abdomen and tickling, tickling.

She burst into a fit of giggles, squealing like a little girl, unable to defend herself. She rolled around, trying to dislodge him, giggling all the while.

"You can't get away from me." Minato said, and tickled her faster.

"Minato! I. Will. Kill. You." She managed to scream out between spurts of uncontrollable laughter.

Suddenly the tickling stopped. Minato pulled her close in a warm hug and whispered, "I love you, Kushina."

Kushina was touched. She leaned into the hug, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I love you more, silly Minato. She whispered back. "I will kill you though."

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Minato woke up, thankfully, without nightmares. Kushina lay at his side, snoring softly, buried in blankets. Said blankets had been pulled from Minato's side of the bed in the middle of the night, leaving his cold and shivering. But, he had let his wife keep them. Whatever made her happy was okay with him.

Today was training day for Minato. He had made a promise to himself to train every day until his strength returned, and his body was back to normal. For one thing, all his muscles were atrophied, his balance was off, his hands couldn't hold steady, and his vision was blurry. He had a lot of work cut out for him.

So, he decided to head to the Training Field to see how many of his skills he had retained.

First he started off with shuriken throwing to test his accuracy. He aimed at a log and threw once, twice, three times, but every one of the projectiles missed its mark. Kunai were the same; he missed every time he threw.

After collecting all the weapons from the ground, he figured he'd try ninjutsu. He attempted to form a Thunder God seal, but his chakra control was all wrong. It felt like he was a genin again, with hardly any skills except for his intellect.

He tried a summoning justu, but a tiny tadpole was the only thing he could manage, once again due to his poor chakra control.

He was extremely disappointed. He knew that his condition was bad, but this was… horrendous. His skills had fallen so far; even a genin was accurate with kunai and shuriken.

He sighed and shook his head.

_**I understand your frustration**_. The Kyuubi spoke up. _**Why don't you take a trip to my lair**__**?**_

Just like that Minato's mind was transported to the Fox's abode, a sewer like, slimy, bubbling pit. The demon's furry maw and evil eyes were visible across from a tall gate with a seal hanging from the bars.

_**Why don't you rip off the seal, Minato? I can give you the strength that you need. In fact, I'm going to give you a gift; from now on, I'm going to purposely leak some of my chakra out so that your body heals faster. How's that?**_

Minato was tempted to tell the fox to shut up, but any extra help would be useful, even if it was from a demon. But, he wanted to go over some things with the Kyuubi anyway.

_Let's be clear_. He thought in a steely voice. _I despise you. You attacked my village and caused the Third's death. Whenever I need or want your strength, you're going to give it to me, because this is my body, and you'll do as I say. I don't care what you are or how strong you think you are. You're' living inside of me, and you'll do as I command. Am I clear?_

The Kyuubi chuckled darkly, a sound like two mountains rubbing together. _**You're an impotent one, aren't you? You think you can command me, the most powerful of the Bijuu, to do as you say? I am not your pet, and if I could, I would rip out of this prison and destroy you. Then I would track down that Madara and hunt him like a rabbit until his flesh was rent between my jaws. You puny humans are nothing to me, and never will be. **_

_Humph. We have nothing more to discuss, you pitiful creature. Go away. _

Just like that, Minato was back in his own world. He felt different, sturdier, and a bit stronger. He picked up a shuriken and tossed it. With a _thunk,_ it embedded itself deep into the target.

He grinned. The Kyuubi had been true to his word; Minato felt so much better.

He practiced with the shuriken and kunai for a half-hour and then stopped, confident that he had regained his skill. He tried to form a Rasengan, but he messed it up and the chakra dissipated into the air.

_I guess I can't do that yet… _

However, this time, when Minato formed a Thunder God seal, it actually worked! His best technique was working again!

_I'm recovering_ he thought triumphantly.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Madara Uchiha seethed quietly. Minato Namikaze was awake! The blonde hokage that had thwarted his plans and defeated him had awoken from his comatose state. Madara thought back to that day when he had attacked the Hidden Leaf. Everything had gone according to plan until Madara underestimated the boy, and, before he knew it, he was lying on the ground beaten and bleeding. The Leaf had survived, The Kyuubi had been sealed away, and Minato had managed to keep his wife and son alive! The only good thing that had happened was Hiruzen Sarutobi's death.

Madara's fist tightened. All the hours spent planning, the time spent training his eyes to control the Kyuubi, the bodily pain it had caused him… all for nothing. After that night, Madara had been forced to replace his own sharingan because the drain on them had been too significant. The whole situation was a catastrophe.

"I will avenge my clan!" He promised to the darkness. "Konoha will fall, I swear it!"

If it wasn't for the Hokages always thwarting him… first it had been Hashirama, then Minato, and ultimately the Third had opposed him too. If it hadn't been for the three of them, Konoha would have been his long, long ago.

"Zetsu!" He called, and the plant-like being composed of the First Hokage's cells rose up from the ground.

"Yes, Madara?" The white and black halves spoke in unison.

"Go to Konoha and find Minato Namikaze's child. Bring the baby to me. Do not be detected, and do not harm the boy. Understood?"

"Yes, Madara, I understand." White Zetsu answered.

"To what end do you need a child?" Black Zetsu asked.

"That is none of your concern. Just do what I tell you." Madara snapped.

"Whatever." Black Zetsu grumbled.

Zetsu sank back down into the ground and was gone.

Madara's eyes flashed. "Vengeance…"

Well, that's the end of chapter 2. I liked it hahaa. Next chapter will have some real action in it though, so don't worry, this isn't just some fanfic about relationships. I planned for this to be an action/adventure type thing with some relationships thrown in there, and I plan to stick to the plan. So bear with me and action lovers you'll have your action. Need I say more? I don't think so.


	3. The Attack

Chapter 3

Minato was feeling pretty good. He just finished a training session, and he knew that his skill was getting better.

As he was coming home though, his mood darkened. He could tell something was wrong; he sensed an evil presence…

_Oh no_! His thoughts screamed.

He ran inside, throwing open the front door. He immediately heard a racket coming from his bedroom, and his heart sank.

"Kushina!" He yelled, running faster.

He entered the bedroom, and his first thought was: _Please let her be okay_!

Kushina was lying on the floor, blood matting the hair on the back of her head. He checked her pulse and breathing, and, thank the gods, she was alive, simply unconscious.

Then his eyes widened. Why wasn't Naruto crying?

Minato checked the crib, and to his utter horror, discovered that the crib was empty. His son was gone.

Just then, something emerged from the bedroom wall, something resembling a plant with wide pincers but also bearing humanoid features.

"Looking for something?" The creature taunted, and held Naruto in its outstretched hands.

Rage almost overtook Minato's nerves of steel. He was consumed with the desire to kill this creature for even so much as laying a finger on his son, and he was forced to use all of his willpower to stay calm.

"I'll give you one chance and one chance only." Stated the enraged father. "Give me back my son and I'll make sure to end your life quickly." At this time, any normal human would have died of fear while under Minato's gaze.

But this thing only laughed. "I like you, you're hilarious."

Then it withdrew back into the wall, inciting a scream of protest from Minato.

_This thing will wish it had taken my offer_. He swore to himself.

Minato was angry, but not concerned. He had placed a Thunder God seal on his son the previous day, and so he was comfortable in the knowledge that he could go wherever his son was. In fact, when Minato realized he could perform the Flying Thunder God technique, he had gone all around Konoha and placed seals in important places, such as the Leaf Hospital, where he now transported his wife.

The startled medic that Minato had appeared in front of managed to not pass out in fright. "Please take good care of her." He said, depositing his wife into the arms of the doctor. Then he was gone.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Zetsu resurfaced somewhere in the Konoha Great Forest, his jaw-like appendages splitting apart. He was going insane; (well, more insane than he already was) the stupid baby had been wailing the entire trip, and the sound of its crying had made Zetsu want to kill himself. He had no choice but to resurface and let the child get some air, otherwise Madara would have been very unhappy.

Unfortunately the baby had kept crying, and crying, and crying….

Zetsu held the child out at arm's length, not wanting to get too close to its blubbering form. Then, he saw a flash of yellow and before he could blink, he was on the ground and the baby was gone from his grasp. He coughed, and the yellow shape disappeared again, only to reappear seconds later.

Zetsu got up. "Namikaze…" He grunted.

"You have no idea how angry I am right now." Minato seethed. "You should have surrendered while I was willing to give mercy."

"Somehow I'm not concerned." Zetsu chuckled. "After all, you're not fully recovered. You're probably actually really weak. I don't think you'll pose much of a threat. By the way, my name is Zetsu; Madara says hello." He charged Minato, forming hand seals rapidly.

"Earth Style: Rock Fist Smash!" A wall of stone formed around its fist, and it lashed out, pummeling Minato, sending him flying. He collided with a tree and slumped downwards.

"Earth Style: Stone Spear!" A spear of rock flew into Minato's right shoulder, drawing from him a gasp of pain.

"See, you're already down. You're supposed to have been a Hokage?" Zetsu started laughing uncontrollably.

Minato pulled the rock spear from his shoulder and threw it down. He dipped his fingers in his blood and slammed his hand down. "Summoning Jutsu!"

A black toad with red stripes appeared, waiting for Minato's order. It was about the size of a large dog; its red markings pulsed to the beat of its heart.

"Gamakibi, I need help!" Minato exclaimed.

The toad sprang into action, spitting a green liquid at Zetsu. The plant-like creature dodged, and the liquid hit a nearby tree, melting it in half.

Minato fled, leaving the toad to fight Zetsu.

What am I going to do? He thought, as blood dripped down his shoulder.

It came to him. _Kyuubi! Give me your chakra!_ He commanded mentally.

The Kyuubi roared in protest, but Minato's desperation fueled the power of his will, and the Nine-tails had no choice but to lend Minato his energy.

Minato's blue eyes closed, and when they opened, they were red slits; the eyes of a monster. His teeth lengthened, as did his fingernails, becoming claws. His wounds clouded with red chakra and steamed, healing themselves.

With a feral growl, he dashed back towards the fighting, just as a tree collapsed and Gamakibi came flying through the air, landing hard before _poof_ing away.

Zetsu came up out of the ground. "You left a toad to fight me?" He mocked.

Minato let his rage break loose. He ran at Zetsu, forming a Rasengan in his right hand.

"Rasengan!" He screamed, his right hand colliding with Zetsu's chest.

Zetsu grabbed Minato's hand, but the spiral sphere of chakra was already tearing into him.

Minato had just enough time to feel victorious before the Zetsu in front of him crumbled into dirt.

The real Zetsu popped up behind him.

"Earth Style: Rock Fist Smash!" The attack was headed for the back of Minato's head.

But Minato wasn't there. Had placed a Thunder God seal on Zetsu the first time he had attacked him with the "Rock Fist Smash" jutsu.

Zetsu froze in terror as the Kyuubi enhanced Minato slammed two perfectly formed Rasengans into his unguarded back.

"Ack!" Was all he managed to say before the energy spheres demolished his spinal column and shredded his internal organs, silencing him.

The lifeless corpse dropped face-down to the forest floor.

Minato huffed, his muscles burning. But, at the same time, the adrenaline coursing through his body was exhilarating.

_**You're welcome.**_ They Kyuubi spoke up. _**Your damaged chakra pathways wouldn't even have been able to mold a Rasengan if it hadn't been for me.**_

_Remind me to thank you later_ Minato replied.

As he sank to the ground, the Kyuubi's characteristics faded until Minato looked like himself again; that's when the body started moving.

Zetsu was splitting in half, the black side pushing the white side away from itself. Before Minato's eyes, the black Zetsu stood on its feet and stretched luxuriously.

"Well, that was fun, although my white side was never any good at fighting. I knew I shouldn't have let it take control. Anyway, you ready for the real fight?" The black half turned to Minato, inquiring.

Minato swallowed. "H-how?"

Zetsu attacked then, crushing the ground in front of Minato as he dodged. Zetsu pressed the attack, using Earth Style to shake the ground, causing Minato to stumble backwards.

Just as Zetsu was about to deliver a devastating punch, the Kyuubi's shroud enveloped Minato and his visage transformed. Minato sent out a fist of chakra, hitting Zetsu below the collarbone and sending him reeling back.

Minato made a hand seal. "Fire Style: Exploding Dart Jutsu!" Minato spit out fiery arrows that homed in on Zetsu and detonated, the concussive force ruffling Minato's blonde hair.

Minato didn't let up. "Wind Style: Seething Breeze Jutsu!" He sucked in, and then blew out a powerful windstorm laced with senbon.

There was a small dust cloud, but when it cleared, Zetsu was nowhere to be found.

Minato heard a cracking sound from beneath him, and sidestepped two black hands that erupted from the ground. Minato saw hand seals being rapidly formed, and then the ground around the hands caved in on itself and spread, sucking everything down with it. Minato was dragged downward, but he used the Flying Thunder God technique to teleport away from the rapidly expanding hole.

Zetsu flew up from the ground, attacking again. "Earth Style: Twin Rock Fist Smash!" Both of his hands were enormous and covered in hardened stone.

Minato blocked the attack by sending up two chakra hands that caught Zetsu's fists in midair. Meanwhile, Minato's own hands were forming seals. "Wind Style: Whirlwind Breath!" A vortex of air captured Zetsu, spinning, spinning, spinning him.

To follow it up, Minato jumped into the air and formed a Rasengan. He drew back his hand and was about to slam it home, when the air warped and contorted, and Madara Uchiha appeared, brandishing a mask with flames on it.

Minato growled in fury and tried hitting him with the Rasengan, but, as always, Madara avoided the attack with his Space-time ninjutsu.

"Zetsu may have lost this fight, but I won't let you kill him yet. We'll be back." Madara stared at Minato, before grabbing Black Zetsu, retrieving the dead White Zetsu and then vanishing in another spinning contortion of the air.

Minato bit back a cry of frustration. He had been so close! Madara, his most hated enemy, had been within arm's length. Minato could have ended the evil Uchiha, but his nemesis had gotten away, further empowering Minato's anger.

"Arrgghhh!" He screamed at the top if his lungs, sending out a huge shockwave of chakra that toppled ancient, deep-rooted trees like they were twigs. The birds left their nests in panic, and the deer ran away as if the whole forest was on fire. Even the wind seemed to cease for a minute, as if it too was afraid of the blonde jinchuriki.

Exhausted, and inwardly embarrassed for letting his emotions get the better of him, he dropped the Kyuubi shroud. There was nothing that he could do about Madara for now.

However, Minato had a family to check up on, and so he teleported back to the Leaf Hospital.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Kushina was awake and very, very mad.

The last thing she remembered was that…thing coming out form the wall and attacking her, and then blackness. But she did recall that Naruto had been crying, and she could do nothing about it. When she had first woken up, finding herself in the hospital, and Naruto missing, she had marched out of bed and demanded to see her child. Nurses had at first gone to restrain her, but they soon fled in fear from her scathing words and brutal fists. Doctors avoided her gaze, and retreated from her presence until, finally, an administrator had calmed her down and taken her to Naruto's room. Kushina had held back tears as she saw her son sleeping peacefully, not a mark on his tiny body. But her thoughts still swam in confusion. Where was Minato?

That's when he materialized out of nowhere, so smoothly that not even a speck of dust was disturbed. Minato swept up his wife in a tender embrace, and, for once, he was the one hurting her. She smacked him on the arm and asked him where he had been.

"I was fighting the thing that knocked you out." Minato replied, rubbing his arm. She was as strong as she had always been, and her blows hurt. Minato told her all about Zetsu, and how he had kidnapped Naruto. He also told her about Madara coming and saving Zetsu from the last, fatal Rasengan.

"Madara is behind all this?" Kushina shook her head, her hair sashaying back and forth. "I don't understand. I thought you killed him?"

"I thought so too; apparently he survived somehow. But if he even comes close to you again-"

"Don't say things like that." Kushina interrupted. "He's afraid of you, Minato. You beat him once and you can beat him again. Why do you think he sent that Zetsu thing after us anyway? It's because he was too weak to do it himself; so don't worry, we'll be fine. I don't want you looking over your shoulder every five seconds."

"I guess you're right." Minato said, although he still harbored his doubts.

"I am right." Kushina insisted.

"Okay, okay, you're right."

Kushina narrowed her eyes. "Are you giving me backtalk Minato?" She asked, tilting her head.

Minato swallowed, playing along. "No, not at all. Never."

"Just now I'm pretty sure I heard some backtalk."

"You must have heard wrong then. Maybe it was the wind?" Minato suggested.

"I don't think it was the wind. I think it was you."

"You're mistaken, babe. Are you feeling alright? Maybe you're hallucinating?

"I am not hallucinating, Minato Namikaze. If I ever hear that tone of voice again…"

"What tone of voice?" Minato asked exasperatedly.

"The one that you just used!

"I don't know what you're talking about. Nurse!" Minato called. "Nurse! My wife needs help! She's hearing things, and-"

Kushina slapped a palm to his mouth. "I'm going to hurt you, Minato Namikaze."

Minato laughed, but it sounded weird coming behind Kushina's hand.

"You think I'm joking?" Kushina asked.

Minato kept laughing.


	4. Recovery

The Kyuubi felt something towards this Minato Namikaze, his human host; something akin to grudging respect. True, the human had opposed the fox when he was forced to attack Konoha, and had inadvertently led to his sealing, but still… he had only been protecting his village, just like the Kyuubi would have protected his own family, if he had one.

And the way Minato had so valiantly fought against his foe Zetsu, while still being weak, was admirable.

The Kyuubi had never felt anything but hatred toward his human vessels, because of their pettiness and weak wills, but this human was different. In a way, the Kyuubi feared him, for he was able to take the Kyuubi's chakra by force of will alone, a feat that none had ever done before in the Kyuubi's entire existence. Minato was fearless and strong, intelligent and unafraid of his faults.

The Kyuubi had been imprisoned in multiple humans, but this one promised to be the most interesting by far…

_**Maybe I will learn to like this one **_thought the Nine-tailed demon fox.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

(1 WEEK LATER…)

After the attack by Zetsu, Minato had been very cautious. He stuck close to Naruto and Kushina, never leaving their side. He felt very protective of his family, and didn't want them being watched by some random ANBU squad, although he did request that ANBU monitor his house.

If anyone attacked his family again though…His fists clenched painfully.

Minato did however, report to Sakumo Hatake about the attack and about Madara being behind it. Obviously there was no proof, and Sakumo could not start an investigation based solely on someone's words, even if that someone was Minato Namikaze.

But Minato was content with the ANBU protection, even though he would have preferred the whole Konoha police force backing him up.

Speaking of the Police Force though, Minato and Kushina had been invited to spend dinner at the Uchiha compound with Fugaku and his wife Mikoto. Minato and Kushina were good friends with the Uchiha couple, and so dinners were frequent. Little Itachi Uchiha had even started calling Minato "Uncle".

Minato especially loved the Uchihas, because they were there for Kushina when he had been in a coma and unable to move; they had helped his wife however they could, and for that, they were in Minato's eternal debt.

"Hey, Kushina?" Minato called.

"Yes, husband?" The reply came from somewhere within the house.

"You remembered that were going to Fugaku and Mikoto's tonight right?

Minato heard a whispered curse. "What's that?" Minato asked loudly.

"I said of course I remembered!" Kushina yelled back.

Minato chuckled. "So, then you remembered that were leaving in a half-hour too?"

Minato heard another curse, louder this time. Kushina came from the bedroom, carrying Naruto. "Can you hold him for a bit? I have to get ready." She shoved the baby into Minato's arms without waiting for his response.

Minato made baby sounds to Naruto while letting the infant play around with his hands, letting the boy grasp them in his tiny fists. Minato watched the child erupt into giggles, his toothless mouth trying hard to form a smile.

He heard Kushina throwing around her clothes, deciding on what to wear. No doubt she felt like all her clothes smelt like baby, which they most likely did.

"It's just the Uchiha's house honey, not the Annual Hokage Banquet." Said Minato, though he knew the response he would get:

"Yeah, well, I'm sure Mikoto enjoys a guest that smells like baby vomit." Quipped Kushina.

"Hey, I'm sure she smells like it too, because she has baby Sasuke to deal with." Minato said, probably tempting his wife's wrath.

Minato entered their bedroom, and saw what Kushina was wearing. He smiled. "You look beautiful Kushina." He declared, totally sincere. Kushina's style had always been plain, but that didn't change the fact that she always looked good no matter what. Now, she wore a blue blouse with simple khaki shorts and blue sandals. Her gorgeous red hair cascaded down her back, ending at waist level. She also wore a silver bracelet that Minato had bought for her on her left wrist.

Minato went up and hugged her. "Doesn't smell like baby vomit to me." He said, earning a smack in the arm and a deadly glare.

"That's not even the slightest bit funny." She said, and frowned.

He grabbed her chin. "Come on, babe, turn that frown upside down."

Her scowl deepened. "I'll turn your brain upside down if you don't quit." She warned.

"You already turned my world upside down when you came into my life." He said in a flat deadpan, perfectly aware of the corniness of that statement.

She rolled her eyes and snorted, but a flash of a smile caught Minato's eye. "Let's go, loser." She said, grabbing Minato's left arm above the elbow.

The happy couple walked out the front door, Minato still holding Naruto.

"You sure you're ready now? There's no turning back." He said ominously.

Kushina only sighed. "I wonder how Fugaku treats his wife?" She asked with an innocent tone.

"That's low." Replied Minato, laughing.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Minato and Kushina had a great time at the Uchiha's house. Kushina had immediately gone to Mikoto, and the two had talked about their husbands and their children. Kushina talked about how loud Naruto always was, to which Mikoto replied that Sasuke was a quiet baby. They continued their wives talk for the majority of the night.

Minato, on the other hand, had spent his time with Fugaku and young Itachi, talking to the boy about the Ninja Academy, which he would be attending soon. Minato had even had a shuriken throwing contest with Itachi, and, of course, Minato had purposely lost. Fugaku, who had simply watched, said, "See, Itachi, you're so strong that you can beat a Hokage."

Itachi couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.

After the sun fell, and everyone had finished dinner, Minato and Kushina said their thanks and goodbyes and left, truly appreciative of their friendship with the Uchihas.

"It's a good thing that I remembered we were supposed to come here tonight" Commented Kushina.

Minato rolled his eyes, a movement hidden by the encroaching darkness. "Yeah, what would I do without you? I would have felt so embarrassed if I had forgotten."

"Well, hey, what are wives for? There's no need to thank me that profusely."

"Oh, is that what I was doing?"

"I believe so." Kushina nodded her head.

"You know, I should thank you properly, but in order to do that, I need both hands free." He outstretched his arms. "Here, hold Naruto for me for a bit."

Kushina hid her hands under her armpits. "Actually, I changed my mind; you don't need to thank me."

Minato smiled. "I thought so."

"Well, I know you just love your son so much that you never want to let go, right? So I figured I'd just spare you the emotional distress of being parted with your flesh and blood. And, I also know that you love your son so much that you want to put him to bed when we get home." Kushina hid a grin.

Minato chuckled. "You're good." He said.

"Thank you." Came the cheery response.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Madara's wicked smile was hidden beneath his mask.

His anger at losing the white half of Zetsu to Minato Namikaze had been fierce, but he took his loss without an outward show of force. The white half had been invaluable, as it was made up entirely of the First Hokage's cells, and those cells had been extremely difficult to obtain and stabilize in a sustainable life form; and so, Madara had lost years of research and experimentation in a single day.

He had worked hard the last week since losing however, repairing the surviving black half of Zetsu and increasing its battle potential. While not nearly as important as White Zetsu, Black Zetsu was still a valuable asset, so Madara strove to keep it alive. Black Zetsu had simply been a host organism with compatible and similar cells to that of the White Zetsu, allowing the white Zetsu to survive, and since White Zetsu had been killed by Minato, the black half was dying without something to be its host.

But Madara had found a solution. By modifying Black Zetsu's cells, he had allowed the creature to take a new being as host. In fact, it was a human replacement host with particularly powerful genes and instinctual strength. He had spliced the human successfully with Black Zetsu, and the two separate beings were now one, whole creature.

At first, Madara had been worried, because the human had undergone sever medical treatment and repair, and so Madara hadn't been sure if Black Zetsu would accept the human transplant. But everything had gone smoothly, and the new, improved Zetsu stood before him.

"What would you like to be called?" Madara asked, testing the creature's sentience. He wanted to see if, like the original Zetsu, each half had an individual personality, or if one side had taken over the personality of the other side.

After hearing Zetsu's reply, he chuckled darkly. "So you're the dominant personality, huh?"

Madara was very pleased, although this new being would have to rest and get accustomed to itself, a process that could take weeks or months. Even so, he was happy with the results, and was willing to wait.

His smile grew impossibly wider.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

(3 MONTHS LATER…)

Minato had fully recovered in the months since Zetsu's attack, a feat that amazed some and stunned others.

When the Kyuubi's enormous chakra had first entered Minato's body, it had disrupted his entire nervous system, and had devastated his chakra pathways, otherwise known as tenketsus. Minato's body had responded defensively towards the alien chakra, closing off the tenketsus to prevent the Kyuubi's chakra from escaping and reforming. If his body hand shut down the way it did, the Kyuubi would have simply exploded out of his body and would have taken its visible form once again, negating the last act of the Third Hokage. Minato would have died, and the Third's sacrifice would have been for nothing. In foresight, Minato realized that his coma had been a necessary evil.

But now, after extensive training, his tenketsu were open and working, and his chakra control was now just as perfect as it had been before the Kyuubi's attack. His muscles were no longer atrophied, and all his former strength and jutsus had returned. He was the legendary "Yellow Flash" once more.

One thing Minato had taken up was sparring with Rin and Kakashi at the Training Field. The pair was actually very strong together; Kakashi played the aggressor and Rin played the part of support, striking at Minato while Kakashi was distracting him. They had even mastered a collaboration jutsu that combined the power of lightning and water.

On sparring days, Minato had had no choice but to relive the past, the memories of his genin training days coming back vividly. Kakashi had really changed since those days, becoming wiser and definitely more down to earth; the boy had always been proud, viewing others weaker than him as pitiful. When Obito had died, something in him had broken, and he lost his air of superiority, realizing that someone like humble Obito was just as good as he was. In fact, Obito had saved his life, even though Kakashi had always treated the Uchiha with scorn and contempt.

Rin had also grown, losing her shallowness and coming to respect life for its deeper value. She recognized that she had made things harder on Obito, making him strive for her when her heart wasn't for him. She regretted her actions, but chose to move on and learn from her mistakes instead of living with guilt and remorse. She had become a more powerful medical shinobi, and had trained her natural affinity, water, until she was capable of forming water jutsus in even the driest conditions.

Kakashi had also advanced his jutsus and had improved his control over his sharingan. He was already a jonin, but to go even further in the ranks, he had applied to ANBU and was hoping for a positive response. His intelligence knew no bounds, and .he had a natural knack for improvising in tough situations. Plus, his sharingan and its copying abilities made him a true threat and a valuable resource to Konoha and its future.

In Minato's own family, everything was doing well. Naruto was doing better in the crying department-thankfully. He was still a lively child though, often waking Minato in the night for what seemed no good reason. Maybe the baby was subconsciously getting satisfaction from destroying his parents sleep patterns. Kushina was doing…well, Kushina.

Sakumo Hatake had taken the office of Hokage seamlessly. While in the beginning there had been the occasional villager who protested his appointment, Konoha as a whole loved their Hokage. Sakumo was fair, wise, and he listened to any problem, no matter how small. He was humble, often being seen simply walking the streets, getting to know the people in which his choices made such huge impacts on. Minato was so happy that he had chosen Sakumo, and so were the people of Konoha.

The ninja world was, surprisingly, at peace. Sakumo had established great relationships with the Hidden Cloud, the Hidden Stone, and the Hidden Sand. The ninja villages enjoyed trading and the benefits of a world without conflict. Caravans didn't have to worry about bandits, because each village's police force made every trade route safe and secure; this encouraged immigration and even more trading.

However, there was one village which had secluded itself and preferred to remain in isolation: the Village Hidden in the Mist. Many attempts at contact were made, but the Mizukage of the Hidden Mist forbid any outsiders or foreigners in his village. Ambassadors of peace were met with hostility and violence. And so, Sakumo and the other Kages had ceased to send messengers, leaving Hidden Mist alone to itself. The Hokage did leave plenty of ANBU spies in the village though, to monitor the Mizukage's activities, and the reports he was getting did not make him happy.

According to ANBU, the Mizukage was a cruel, malicious leader with ruthless dictatorship, whose methods were strange and inhumane; rumors of bloodline purges, wholesale slaughter of families and children, and brutal training regimens for Academy students, involving a final test that involved murdering your classmates in a test of strength. ANBU had substantiated some of these rumors with eyewitness accounts. Sakumo was horrified that the Hidden Mist was so violent, but yet, he did not want to start a war over it, and so he did not make any move toward the Hidden Mist.

If only the Hokage knew…


	5. Bad Memories

"You're late, Kakashi." Stated Rin with a scowl, her arms folded across her chest.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, smiling. "Sorry about that." He said. "I had to save some children in a burning orphanage along the way."

"Mhm, I bet you did." Said Rin.

Kakashi quickly changed the subject. "So, are you ready to go?" Bad idea on his part.

"Of course I am. I've only been waiting for an hour for you to show up." Rin grumbled, but then sighed. "Let's just go."

Not wanting to prolong her anger, Kakashi agreed.

The two young shinobi walked along the streets of Konoha, the warm sun shining down from the heavens, and not a single cloud in the blue sky. There was a slight breeze, ruffling Kakashi's spiky silver hair and tossing the leaves to and fro.

Kakashi had his hands in his pockets, playing with some spare change. "So where do you want to eat?" He asked, since he and Rin were going on an official date.

Rin thought for a moment. "I'm actually craving some Ichiraku's right now."

"You don't want-"

She cut him off. "I know, I know, it's not the most romantic place to go eat, but it's what I want."

"Okay, okay, that's fine with me." He said, and chuckled.

The couple arrived at the ramen shop only to find their sensei Minato already there with his wife and his son, Naruto.

"Oh, hey guys, what are you doing here? On a date or something?" Asked Minato, only for his wife to smack him on the arm.

"Don't embarrass them." Kushina whispered vehemently.

"Okay, okay don't kill me." He whispered back. Louder, he said, "Hey, guys, come have a seat over here, next to me." Kakashi and Rin sat. "So what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

Kakashi and Rin looked pretty uncomfortable. Minato smiled inwardly, remembering his own teenage years spent with Kushina, how people had looked at her strangely for choosing to go out with an orphan boy with no family, while she had come from the prestigious Uzumaki clan of the Hidden Whirlpool. He remembered Jiraiya embarrassing him just like what he was doing to Kakashi right now.

Kakashi spoke up. "We were planning on hanging around town and then watching the sunset near the Great Forest. We heard it was especially beautiful over there, and so we figured why not go see it."

Kushina smiled. "That's a wonderful idea, Kakashi." She looked at her husband and frowned. "Minato, you should take some lessons from your student here."

Rin laughed and Minato blushed. "Hey, that's not fair." He retorted. "I would do stuff like that, but it's not my fault you like sleeping all day while I watch Naruto."

Kushina snorted. "That is so not true Minato-"

"Oh it's true. And, I've never told you this babe; but, you snore. It's pretty noisy. That's why Naruto woke up the other day, and I lied and told you that it was my fault, even though I knew that it was your snoring that woke him."

"Oh yeah? I snore? Well you're the one that drools in his sleep!"

"No way!" Minato shot back. "That is a cruel, cruel lie and you know it. Take it back."

Kushina turned her head and crossed her arms. "Nope."

Minato bent close to Kakashi and whispered in his ear, "This is why you never get married."

Kushina hit him. "What are you saying about me?"

"I said marrying you was the best thing I've ever done." He said in a serious tone.

"Oh." Kushina said, letting her arms drop. "Well… you're not so bad either."

"Thanks, babe that means a lot. At last, I finally know that you deeply cherish me."

"Don't get ahead of yourself there, buddy. Deeply cherishing is going a little far."

Kakashi and Rin sat awkwardly, listening to the couple mock argue. It was entertaining, sure, but they had come to Ichiraku's on a date, and so Kakashi ordered food for himself and Rin, all the while Kushina and Minato continued to bicker childishly.

"You always leave your socks on the floor!"

"You're hair always clogs the shower!"

Kakashi and Rin ate silently, trying to ignore the sounds going on around them.

"Hey, you wanna get out of here?" Kakashi asked Rin.

She laughed. "Yeah I think I do."

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Rin laid her head on Kakashi's shoulder, as the two watched the sun slowly descend, and the horizon lit up with the colors of sunset.

"Beautiful…" Kakashi said in awe.

"Yeah, the colors are so pretty." Rin said.

Kakashi hadn't been talking about the sunset though.

"Hey Kakashi…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think…"

"What?"

"Do you think that we are…" Rin broke off and screamed. "What is that thing!"

Kakashi stood up and saw what Rin was seeing. He immediately went into a battle stance. "Rin… go get help, now!"

"B-but-"

"Now!" Kakashi snapped.

Rin ran away as fast as she could, her mind in a panic. What was that creature… and why did it have Obito's face?

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Kakashi cursed. "Who are you and what do you want!"

The creature before him looked like some kind of plant, with a big mouth-like appendage towards the top that split down the middle to reveal two different looking halves of the same body. One half was pitch black with a single, lifeless, green eye; the other half looked just like Obito Uchiha, down to the unruly black hair and the goofy smile.

The thing responded with laughter. "Me? I'm a nobody, Kakashi. Just Uchiha's black sheep come back from the grave."

"You're not Obito… you can't be. Obito is dead… release this genjutsu and fight me without playing these mind games!"

"You think I'm playing mind games with you…Kakashi? Wronnggggggg! This is me in the flesh, Obito Uchiha!"

"Stop it! Obito Uchiha was crushed to death! There's nothing left of him!"

"You think so eh? Tell me, did they ever retrieve a body?"

"It doesn't matter! No one could have survived that cave in! No one! Now stop these games and fight me!"

The thing sighed. "Fine, fine. After all that is my reason for coming here in the first place. I mean, watching you with Rin was cute too, but I really, really want to fight you."

Kakashi pulled his headband up. "Sharingan!"

"Oh-ho, mastered my sharingan did you? You're smarter than you look, Kakashi."

"I'll show you!"

Kakashi dashed forward and swung a swift roundhouse kick aimed for the creatures head. But the thing caught his foot effortlessly with one hand and threw him back where he had come.

"Was I finished talking? I don't think I was. Now, please, let me continue."

Kakashi rose to his feet as the creature kept talking. "As I was saying, you're smarter than you look. For a non-Uchiha to be able to use the sharingan… that takes…some skill. So, let's see how long you can keep that usage up. Oh, and I know I haven't properly introduced myself, so here I go. My name is Obito Uchiha, I like teamwork, and I try to do a good deed every day; I like my teammates Kakashi and Rin, and I'll do anything to keep them safe." Then "Obito" laughed maniacally. "Nah, I'm really just kidding. Although you can call me Obito, I hate Kakashi and Rin, and I try to kill someone at least once per day; you know, practice makes perfect as they say."

"You're crazy." Kakashi said.

"Hmm… you might be right. But let's end the small talk. I really want to kill something right now, and it looks like you're the only thing available."

"Works for me." Kakashi smiled, before he ran at Obito again. He threw two shuriken, then attacked Obito while he blocked the projectiles.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Kakashi blew the ball of flame toward Obito, but Obito countered.

"Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!" The bigger fireball engulfed Kakashi's own fireball and headed straight for him.

Kakashi made hand seals. "Water Style: Water Wall!" The fireball sizzled out.

When the water fell back to the ground, Kakashi couldn't see his foe. His sharingan suddenly tracked movement above him.

"Earth Style: Mountain Hammer!" Obito's whole body was covered in stone, and his landing point was Kakashi.

_Crap! _

Obito knew that he had hit Kakashi head on, but when he got up from the crater her had left, Kakashi's body disappeared in a flash of lightning.

Obito heard a screeching sound.

The real Kakashi flew at Obito, his hand charged with lightning chakra.

"Chidori!" Kakashi's hand plunged strait through Obito's chest, spraying blood on the ground behind him.

Obito laughed once more, as if he didn't realize that he had a hand sticking out of his back. "Good, Kakashi, good!" Then he crumbled away into dirt.

_A Mud Clone? _Thought Kakashi. _My sharingan didn't detect a clone?_

Obito came up from the ground and gripped Kakashi's ankle. "Hey, buddy, how's it going?" He pulled Kakashi downwards into the earth.

Kakashi whipped out a kunai and stabbed Obito repeatedly in the hand, until he let go. Unfortunately, Kakashi was already calf-deep into the ground.

_I have to get out quickly!_ His mind yelled. _Crap!_

Obito was already coming up from the ground and making hand seals. "Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"

Kakashi felt the heat from the attack, but he didn't give in. "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!" Kakashi sank downwards, the hairs on his head getting singed as the fireball passed over him.

_Made it…_ He thought thankfully. Then he used his jutsu to tunnel underneath Obito and grab his ankle like Obito had just done to him. But Obito somehow managed to avoid his grasp and slip away. Kakashi jumped out of the ground and threw a shuriken where he thought Obito would be, but he saw the shuriken spiral pointlessly away at nothing.

"Behind you!"

Kakashi gasped as a devastating kick landed on his back, sending him face down on the ground, his nose smashing against a round rock and breaking with an audible _crunch. _

He groaned in pain, his mouth rapidly filling up with warm, coppery blood. He coughed once and spit out a long plume of thick, bloody saliva, strings of which hung off his chin and lips.

"Had enough, Kakashi?" Obito taunted.

Kakashi stood on shaky legs. "Never." He said boldly and charged again at his enemy.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Minato was still at Ichiraku's when Rin burst into the shop, panting heavily. "Sensei, help quick!" She exclaimed breathlessly.

Minato went over to her, Kushina and Naruto temporarily forgotten. "What's the matter? What happened?" He questioned.

"Kakashi… he's in trouble! There's something attacking him."

Minato's eyes widened. _Not again_… He thought.

"Where is he?" He grabbed her shoulder.

"W-we were near the Forest of Death." She stuttered out.

Minato sighed in relief. He had a Thunder God Seal in the Forest of Death.

Kushina spoke up. "Minato, what's going-"

He cut her off. "I'm sorry Kushina I have to leave; if you could, please get some ANBU sent to the Forest of Death." He turned to Rin. "Grab my hand and show me exactly where you guys were." Just like that, they were gone in a flash of yellow.

Kushina took Naruto and left in a hurry. She headed straight for the Hokage mansion.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

When Rin opened her eyes, and she was no longer at Ichiraku's. Instead, she was in the Forest of Death, her eyes taking in the tall trees towering and swaying ominously, the wind groaning and the leaves whistling. The canopy above them blocked out most of the sun, plunging the forest into murky darkness.

"Well, where is he?" Minato asked.

Rin used her sensory powers to detect Kakashi's chakra signature; it was faint, but still visible. "This way" She said, going off in Kakashi's direction.

Moments later, the two came upon Kakashi fighting off the plant like creature from before. His face was a bloody mess, and he was clutching his right arm absently.

"Kakashi! Fall back!" Minato ordered.

Kakashi turned his head to Minato's voice, and, in doing so, couldn't see the attack headed straight for him. The plant-like creature's foot connected with Kakashi's shoulder, sending him spinning away into the forest.

"Sensei, please help him!" Rin screamed, but Minato wasn't even there.

The former Hokage emerged from the shrubbery, holding a battered Kakashi in his arms.

"Rin, take Kakashi and leave. Now." Minato ordered in a serious voice.

Rin took Kakashi from her sensei's hands and held him gently. She dashed off, all the while examining Kakashi's body for injuries. His right arm was broken and he was cut and bruised all over while his nose was slowly leaking blood and mucus down the rest of his face. His face mask was cut and slashed, but still his lower features were obscured. His one sharingan eye blazed with red fury.

"Rin… I have to fight him…" Kakashi whispered.

Rin shook her head, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Kakashi, I'm taking you away from here."

"Rin…"Kakashi grabbed he sleeve of her shirt with a death grip. "Please, just heal me here…I need to fight him…and finish this." Never had his voice held so much pleading.

"Kakashi, I-"

"Please."

Rin sighed, defeated. She lowered Kakashi to the ground and began to heal his wounds, her hands glowing green.

"Sensei is going to kill me." She said.

Kakashi managed a weak smile. "Thank you. Thank you, Rin."

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Minato was furious. This creature Zetsu had dared to attack his loved ones again? He was simmering, his blue eyes changing into the red eyes of the Kyuubi. He could feel the demon's chakra flowing through his system, powering him up.

However, Minato's anger didn't prevent him from noticing that something was off. Before, Zetsu had had one black and one white half. Now, there was no white half; instead, there was a human looking half with what appeared to be…

_Wait… It can't be! Obito?_

"Is that really you, Obito?" Minato asked.

The response was dark laughter. "I don't know, _sensei_, can't you recognize me?"

"What happened to you?"

"Oh, you mean, my hideously disfigured face? The face that was ruined in that rockslide? Well, I would tell you the whole, long, boring story, but I'm sure you've heard it all. It pretty much boils down to this: I was trapped alive in a rockslide all because you couldn't save me. 'Konoha's Yellow Flash' just wasn't fast enough to help his rookie squad."

"Obito, this can't be you. There's no way the Obito I know would attack his own comrades."

"The Obito you knew? Ha! Let me tell you something: while I sat in darkness, my body broken, pain wracking every nerve in me, I had plenty of time to think. And I hated for the first time. I hated myself for stopping to push Kakashi away from danger. I hated him for looking down on me, thinking he was better than me all the time. I hated Rin, for never showing me any affection, for shunning me when all I'd ever done was love and protect her. I hated you for leaving us alone in the first place. I hated my clan for being embarrassed of me just because I wasn't the epitome of the 'Uchiha' name. I hated everything, and I couldn't wait to die. But, for some reason, I remained alive. Maybe it was the gods, giving me a second chance, I don't know and I don't care. I remained alive, even though my right side was crushed and I was breathing out of one lung, in the dust polluted, dank, cave air. Even though I was sitting in a pool of my own blood, and my left eye was burning with pain where Rin took out my sharingan.

"I survived _sensei_. I survived, and someone found me. I later found out that it was Madara Uchiha. Madara-sama healed my body, repaired me, and made me whole again. He could feel my hate, and he sympathized with me, and he took me into his care. He used forbidden techniques to restore me, to take away the damage done to my body; before I knew it, I was like new again. He even gave me two complete sharingan to replace the ones I had…lost. I do Madara's bidding, and in return he makes me stronger and stronger. He is my sensei now. All you are is an obstacle in my way, and I once I finish killing you, I'll hunt down Kakashi and Rin and kill them…slowly and painfully."

"Obito…you…" Minato was stunned. But, he knew what had to be done, and this…thing was no longer Obito Uchiha. Minato clenched his fist. "You must be stopped."

"Hahahaha! Oh, you'll try." Obito said, grinning maniacally. "You'll try."

Obito's eyes flashed, and were replaced by two perfect, three tomoed sharingan. "You'll find that I'm no longer 'Uchiha's black sheep'." He promised, still grinning.

_He's lost his mind_… Thought Minato.

_No_, the Kyuubi spoke up from within Minato. _He's simply given himself over to his hatred. I can feel it seeping from his skin like a disease…It hovers over him like a giant cloud_; _his hatred is indeed great_.

_Well, it doesn't matter to me, because he's not leaving this place alive._ Minato thought menacingly.

"Let's go, sensei!" Obito's hands were a blur. "Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!" He arched back and blew the enormous attack toward Minato.

Minato dodged the attack, only for Obito to come up behind him.

"Fire Style: Consuming Touch Jutsu!" Obito reached out and touched Minato's shoulder, which promptly lit on fire and spread across his entire body.

"Ha!" Obito exclaimed, only for "Minato" to go up in a puff of smoke, leaving a charred log in its place.

"Wind Style: Unseen Blade Jutsu!" Minato swept his hand across in a swift cutting motion, and invisible wind chakra swept through the forest, toppling trees and sending various animals fleeing for their lives.

However, Obito was too good to be defeated that easily. He had seen Minato building up chakra in his hands with his sharingan, and so he used his space-time ninjutsu to hide within the ground, avoiding Minato's attack. He waited for the right time to strike.

Minato jumped onto a tree branch, scanning about for his foe. He thought he saw something when…Obito burst forth from the tree, his fly-trap jaws opened for the kill.

But Minato wasn't there. He threw a seal-wrapped kunai and used his Thunder God technique to teleport behind Obito, just like he had done to the White Zetsu in their last fight.

He formed a Rasengan, but that's when the Black Zetsu spun and backhanded Minato across the jaw viciously. Minato jumped back, jaw already sore.

_How did he see me? Was it a lucky guess?_

_They cover each other's blind spots_. The Kyuubi observed. You have to find a way to overwhelm both of them.

"Earth Style: Stone Spear Jutsu!" The Black Zetsu launched the projectile at Minato, piercing his chest above the sternum.

But Minato disintegrated into weightless wind.

"Wind Clone!" Black Zetsu warned.

The real Minato was far behind Obito-Zetsu, analyzing his enemy. The creature had the same basic form as before, except the White Zetsu had been replaced with Obito. Obviously, the addition of Obito had given the whole creature more speed, power, and knowledge, plus the sharingan and fire style ninjutsu; the original Zetsu had solely used earth style. Added to that, Obito was much more battle-savvy that the original White Zetsu, who Minato had defeated fairly quickly. Obito must have endured some battle training under Madara.

Minato wasn't afraid though, because he had a plan.

"Summoning Jutsu: Toad Summon!" Gamakibi, the acid-spitting toad croaked, waiting for a command.

Minato threw one of his three-pronged kunai at Zetsu, his plan already in motion. Obito dodged the obvious kunai, waiting for Minato to teleport near the seal-marked weapon. Instead of teleporting, Minato threw two more kunai at Obito, which he dodged once again.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Two Minatos teleported, one on Obito's right, one on his head, and each of them had a Rasengan in his hand.

Which one is the real one? Obito asked himself, but then decided it didn't matter.

"Fire Style: Consuming Touch Jutsu!" Obito extended both his arms and touched both Minatos, but they both disappeared in puffs of smoke as fire ignited them.

"Collaboration Jutsu: Acid Air Bullet!"

The jutsu tore into Obito, blasting him back and melting the skin off his body.

Then: "Rasengan!" Minato dove through the trees connecting solidly with Obito's chest.

The hybrid creature plummeted downwards, landing hard on its back.

Minato landed lightly on the balls of his feet next to it.

"This is it, Obito." Minato formed another Rasengan.

"Yes, _sensei_… This is it!" Obito screamed, his eyes widening. "Mangekyou Sharingan!"

Minato was suddenly in a strange world, buried under heavy rocks, his breath coming laboriously. He knew that he was in a genjutsu, but that didn't change the fact that he couldn't move.

_Need some help? _The Kyuubi taunted. _I can break this genjutsu for you…just peel the seal…_

_I think I'd rather die_. Minato shot back.

_Maybe you will…_

Suddenly the illusion was gone.

_I can't let you die that easily…what would everyone think of me if my vessel was so easily dispatched?_

_Hmph…thanks_. Minato mentally grunted.

The Kyuubi chuckled from behind his prison.

"H-how did you break free?" Obito asked, perplexed. "There's nobody here to break my genjutsu!"

"That's where you'd be wrong." Minato said, and immediately the Kyuubi's shroud formed around him, covering him in bubbling red chakra. "Are you ready to fight for real?" His voice gained a deep, guttural undertone.

Obito rose, his wounds already healed. "Don't get too cocky, _sensei_; I still have some techniques up my sleeve… Amaterasu!"

Obito's right eye bled, and black flames materialized wherever his eye pointed.

"Tch." Minato dodged the black flames, as Obito followed him with his eye.

The fire of Amaterasu ate up the thick, ancient trees as if they were simple paper, and the whole forest was quickly engulfed in unquenchable conflagrations.

_He'll burn down the whole forest if I don't finish this soon_…

"Gamakibi!" Minato yelled to his summon. "Attack!"

The toad shot out from the forest, spitting globules of acid at Obito. Obito cursed and back stepped, as the acid _splatted_ at his feet, melting through the ground where he had just been.

Minato came up beside him, slashing out with his unique kunai, cutting deep into Obito's arm. As the blood flew, Obito looked at Minato and willed more black flames toward him. But, as the flames started to materialize, Minato teleported away with his Thunder God Technique.

_Where did he go?_ Obito looked around; his Mangekyou eyes straining for find his former sensei.

He heard a whoosh, and saw a three sharingan headed for him. Then he heard Minato's voice. "Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!" The three shuriken multiplied to hundreds, but Obito couldn't be taken so casually.

"Amaterasu!" Black flames consumed every single projectile.

An arm made up of the Kyuubi's chakra slammed into Obito from behind, knocking the breath right out of him. He crashed into a tree, splintering it and sending it falling to the forest floor with an impact that shook the ground.

Two more chakra arms gripped Obito, squeezing him, putting so much pressure on him that he thought his eyes were going to pop out of his face. But he escaped by using his time-space ninjutsu to sink away beneath the ground, and then popped up right where he sensed Minato to be.

However, Minato somehow knew he was coming, and so Obito received a well-aimed kick straight to the face, breaking his nose and some of his teeth in the process. He gagged on the blood and the feeling of his tongue sliding across the jagged remains of his front teeth.

Minato was merciless. Another fist of chakra smashed into Obito's chest, breaking a few of his ribs, overloading his mind with fresh pain.

Minato teleported behind Obito, picked up his head, and banged it down on the ground repeatedly, relentlessly. When he was done, he formed a Rasengan and delivered it straight to Obito's head, the spiral energy sphere ripping apart his skull and splattering brain matter onto Minato's face.

He panted and let himself sit down. He blinked at the sight before him, realizing the depths of his released anger. _Is this what I'm capable of?_

_It isn't over yet_. The Kyuubi brought him out of his reverie.

_What are you talking about?_

_Your enemy still stands_…

Minato heard more laughter.

Suddenly, he was transported to his mindscape, where the Kyuubi resided. However, he wasn't alone. Obito was there also, his Mangekyou eyes blazing.

_How are you even here_?

**The advantages of the sharingan, **_**sensei**_**…Now Kyuubi, come out!**

The Kyuubi's chakra bubbled and frothed until it formed into a visible shape. It spoke: _Only an Uchiha could ever command me like that! And what do I see in my lair? My host…and an Uchiha!_

Obito looked the Kyuubi in the eyes, and his sharingan began spinning. **You will not give any more of your chakra to this man… you will hide until this battle is over.**

The Kyuubi didn't respond, although its eyes reflected Obito's own.

Then the visible aspect of the Kyuubi's chakra disappeared, and Minato was back in reality.

He looked at his hands, and the Kyuubi shroud was gone.

"What did you do?" He called out.

Obito's voice answered. "Oh, nothing, I just cut you off from the Kyuubi's chakra. Now you fight without the beasts help."

"I'm going to kill you, once and for all." Minato swore, as the body that he had hit with the Rasengan disintegrated into dirt. "Gamakibi!"

More acid flew through the air, but Obito buried himself underground. The toad hopped around searching for its target.

"Gamakibi, behind you!" Minato shouted, but it was too late; Obito rose up and smashed Gamakibi with one fist, making him _poof_ away.

"Wind Style: Air Bullet!" Minato shot his condensed chakra at Obito, which he somehow dodged again. Minato's air bullets blew holes out of trees, and dispersed Amaterasu throughout the forest even more, while at the same time failing to hit their intended targets.

Minato cursed. He needed to stop those black flames now, or Konoha itself might eventually be in danger. He turned his back to Obito and pulled out a scroll from a tool pouch on his back. Unraveling the scroll, he bit his thumb and wiped the blood straight down the scrolls entire length. "Sealing Jutsu: Vortex Seal!" He held the scroll out and it sucked up all the black flames, till the forest was rid of every trace of Amaterasu. Then he closed the scroll and returned it to his pouch.

He panted heavily, the sealing having used up a lot of his chakra. _Why didn't Obito attack me_?

He turned, and Obito wasn't there. _He must be hiding again_…

"I'm right here, sensei!" Obito was right in his face, his Mangekyou eyes shining with insanity. Minato made the mistake of looking into those eyes…

And he was once again plunged into a genjutsu; this time he was floating in a pool of liquid, in wan light. Minato felt hands pulling at his clothes, at his back, tugging him gently down. He closed his eyes as his body went under; and he sank. When he opened his eyes again, he was surrounded by bodies, thousands of bodies. They were in various stages of decomposition, and all of them were covered in blood and gore. One body had ropy intestines spilling out of his chest, while another body was missing a head; another body had no eyes, and another one had no arms. It was sickening, even to a veteran like Minato.

These are the people that you've killed, Minato… These are the people whose live you've ended, whose families you destroyed… Behold the carnage that came from your actions, and the souls that have been reaped by your hands… The bodies started to stand, each one moaning a different name. They grabbed Minato, plucking at his arms, his legs, his hair, his chest.

With growing horror he realized that the liquid he was in was blood.

Minato screamed, but just as he thought that he would go insane, the genjutsu stopped, and he was thrown back into the real world, gasping and shaking, cold sweat covering him from head to toe.

He heard a screeching sound, like metal on metal… He lifted his head, and there was Obito; but Obito had a hand sticking out of his chest, and the owner of the hand was Kakashi.

"So it wasn't an illusion…I'm sorry, Obito." Kakashi withdrew his hand, and blood gushed onto his face and neck.

"C-curse you, Kakashi…" Obito mumbled, blood leaking from is lips.

"I'm sorry, Obito." Kakashi said again. "I failed you back then, and I failed you now. Please forgive me."

"Die…" Obito tried raising his hand towards Kakashi, but it fell limply at his side. He heaved one great sight and breathed no more.

A single tear fell from Kakashi's eye. He stared at Minato, a haunted look etched upon his eyes. "Sensei, I-"

"It's okay, Kakashi. You did what needed to be done. That wasn't Obito anyway, it was…something else."

"He cursed me with his last breath…"Kakashi whispered. "What does that say about me?"

Rin went up to Kakashi from her hiding place. "Kakashi…let's go. None of this is your fault." She hugged him.

"But it is…it is my fault. Maybe I should have died in that cave-in instead of Obito…"

"Kakashi!" Minato barked. "Snap out of it! Obito died long ago, and that thing that you just killed might have looked like him, but _it was not him_! Understand?"

Kakashi's eyes cleared and he exhaled a slow, shaky breath. "You guys are right…this wasn't Obito."

That's when ANBU finally arrived on the scene, Kushina trailing behind them.

"Minato-sama! Are you alright?" A man with a monkey mask asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm not sure about my student though…" Kakashi fell to his knees.

"I couldn't heal everything…" Rin said.

"That's alright, Rin, you did well under pressure." Said Minato before looking at the monkey masked ANBU. "Please, take my students to the Leaf Hospital, I'll be fine here."

One of the other ANBU's gaze drifted over to Obito's corpse. "What about that thing?" He pointed.

"Take it to the Hokage immediately and tell him it's of the utmost priority. Have the Medical Team start working on an autopsy."

"Yes, sir!" The ANBU saluted, and hefted Obito's corpse over his shoulder.

"The rest of you can go." Minato told the ANBU. "I don't need any help."

"Yes, sir!" They saluted and ran off with Kakashi and Rin in tow.

That left Minato alone with his wife. Kushina crossed her arms. "So…have anything to tell me?"

"Nope." Replied Minato.

"Then what was this all about? Kakashi is injured, you're covered in battle wounds… you're telling me nothing happened? Whose corpse did I see getting hauled away by the ANBU?"

"It was the corpse of an enemy…that's all. He attacked Kakashi, and that Rin came to me for help. The thing is dead now, and that's all that matters…"

"Why do I have the feeling that you're hiding something? And why did that corpse look so familiar?" Kushina questioned.

"I don't know, babe." He answered both her questions. "C'mon, let get out of here." He said, putting his arm around her shoulders.

She sighed. "Fine, Minato, don't tell me. But answer me this: why was Kakashi crying?"

Minato paused before answering. "I think he was reliving some bad memories."

"Hmm…maybe. I hope he'll be okay."

"Yeah, he'll be fine." Said Minato. "He is my student after all…"


	6. Revelation

**AN: Okay, I'm aware of certain…developments in the Naruto story as of recently, but for the sake of those who don't know, I'm not going to reveal anything. So for those of you who do read the manga, I'm not ignorant I just don't want to be a spoiler. Some of you will know what I'm talking about, some of you won't… but whatever. Anyway…**

Shizune, head of the Konoha Medical Corps, gasped in shock. "W-what is this thing?"

"That's what I want you to find out." The Fifth Hokage, Sakumo Hatake, spoke up, his fingers tented in front of his face.

Shizune looked at the corpse one more time. She shook her head, her short, dark hair swaying. "I've never seen anything like this… I'll need a few days to fully examine this…

creature."

"Take all the time and personnel that you need. This is of the utmost priority, and I want results as fast as possible. Spare no expense to find out as much as you can about this

thing."

Shizune nodded. "Where did you find this creature?" She asked.

"It was found by my son, Kakashi, and it was defeated by his hand. Otherwise, I have no clue as to its origins or background whatsoever. My son has informed me that the

human looking side of the creature is, in fact, Obito Uchiha, one of the members of Minato Namikaze's team that had supposedly died in the last war; I have no way of proving or

disproving this, so I hope you can clear up this matter."

"Hmm…" Shizune frowned. "He does bear similarities to an Uchiha…but I'll run a full diagnosis on his DNA and genetic makeup. This is something else, Hokage-sama."

"I know."

She looked up at him. "I'll start work immediately, and I'll give you a full report as soon as I'm finished."

"Good. If you need anything, don't hesitate to come to me."

"Understood. "

Sakumo turned to one of his ANBU guards. "Help Shizune transport the corpse to her operating facilities, please. Shizune, you're dismissed."

The ANBU saluted. "Yes, sir!" He picked up the body and left with Shizune.

Sakumo's thoughts were troubled. What was this creature's purpose, and what did it mean for Konoha's future? He couldn't help but feel that events were happening outside of

his control…

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Madara punched the wall, leaving a huge dent, and then proceeded to wreck his laboratory, overthrowing tables, spilling beakers, breaking lamps and glass pipes filled with

bubbling liquids. He kicked a chair, sending it spinning into the wall, where it fell into pieces. He roared in anger, punching the wall once more, oblivious to the pain as the bones

in his hand snapped.

Obito was dead! Zetsu was gone! Konoha was in possession of his precious experiment, and no doubt they were touching it all over with their corrupted, evil hands, probing it for

secrets. All that time, lost! All that training with Obito, for nothing! Listening to that poor child whine and complain and grovel, trying to come across as the understanding savior,

all the while harboring nothing but disgust for the sick, twisted being known as Obito. And what did he gain from it all? Nothing! He didn't even have the satisfaction of knowing

that the poor fool had killed someone before he was taken down. Probably the only thing the kid had managed to kill was a bird or two, and only because he was indiscriminately

spraying his Amaterasu everywhere!

Madara inhaled and exhaled repeatedly, slowly trying to regain his composure. He had thought for sure that Obito would have been able to at least kill the hokage's son Kakashi,

or maybe even the girl, Rin, but he had done nothing. Instead, he had given himself over to his hate and had attacked without poise, and he had lost badly. To his credit,

however, Obito might have been able to kill Minato, Rin, or Kakashi, if they all hadn't decided to work together. But, either way, he had lost, and in doing so, had made Madara

lose.

Madara hated to lose.

What am I going to do now? He thought to himself. I can't just sneak in and kill everyone to get Obito's corpse back… I don't have enough strength for that, thanks to Minato…

Maybe it was time to accelerate his plans…

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Rin watched the monitor, recoiling every time it beeped. Kakashi had been hospitalized, suffering from multiple cuts and bruised, a broken nose, and broken arm. His left clavicle

had also been fractured. While Rin had healed Kakashi to the best of her ability, she hadn't had time to perform a full healing, and his injuries had been too extensive for simple

healing ninjutsu. Added to that, the fact that he had gone back into battle after his healing hadn't improved his condition.

Kakashi lay on the hospital bed, sleeping soundly. His arm had been set, and his face was calm and peaceful, unmarked save for the vertical scar over his left eye. Unfortunately,

Rin knew the feelings that must be running through his mind. She felt terrible herself, and she could only imagine how much Kakashi was going through.

Rin had taken no physical damage, but inside, she was hurt. She had seen Obito's face, had seen his hatred. She had watched as he tried to attack Kakashi with his life blood

ebbing out, a last attempt at vengeance. As for Kakashi, he had taken physical damage, but mentally, she was sure that he was in bad condition. He had not only fought his

former teammate, he had been the one to ultimately kill him. He must have summoned all his strength and will to plunge that final chidori into his friend's flesh. The effort must

have taken a great toll.

Rin touched Kakashi's cheek, feeing the cold skin with the back of her hand. "Kakashi…be strong." She whispered.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Kakashi struggled against unseen ghosts, swinging his fists, fighting off the memories that haunted him. He wanted everything to just go away. It was his fault that Obito had

turned so evil, his fault that Obito had been trapped in the cave-in in the first place. He imagined his friend buried under heavy rocks, cursing those that he had once loved, his

mind changing, warping into something… else. Kakashi had never felt so guilty in his entire life, not even when he had taken his friend's eye; not even when he had left his

teammate to die in a dark hole.

The only thing that kept him sane was Rin. The thought of her was enough to help him fight off the memories and battle with the guilt, to defeat the ghosts that were plaguing

his dreams. She needed him, and he planned on being there for her. She would be battling her own demons, and he didn't want to be a cause of pain to her.

He struggled harder, but the ghosts kept coming.

_Me? I'm a nobody, Kakashi. Just 'Uchiha's Black Sheep' come back from the grave._

_This is me, in the flesh, Obito Uchiha!_

_Did they ever retrieve a body?_

_You're smarter than you look, Kakashi._

_I really want to kill something right now, and it looks like you're the only thing available_

That's when a light shined down from the sky, illuminating Kakashi's whole world, banishing the ghosts to the recesses of Kakashi's mind.

**Kakashi…be strong**.

Kakashi woke up with a start, his breath catching in his throat. He blinked his eye rapidly, gauging his surroundings. He remembered that he was in the hospital…

He felt a hand on his not broken arm. "Kakashi…are you feeling okay?"

Kakashi squinted his eye, although he clearly recognized the voice. "Rin…" He sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine. Rin sighed also, her eyes closing. "Good." Silence filled the room; however,

it was neither awkward nor uncomfortable.

Then, from Kakashi, "Hey, Rin?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being here. My dad's been busy, and Minato-sensei couldn't be here all day… so thanks, I would've been lonely without you."

Rin turned away, trying to hide her blush. "It's nothing Kakashi, really-"

"No, Rin, it's not nothing." His fingers reached out and entwined themselves in hers. "I have to apologize for being so blind lately, for not telling you how much you mean to me."

"Kakashi, you don't have to-"

"Yes, I do. Rin, I know you've liked me since we were kids, but I've never really admitted any feelings for _you_. So let me do that now. Rin, you're an amazing, caring, kind,

beautiful person, and I don't deserve you."

"Kakashi, you can stop there-" Rin was now crimson.

But the young ninja didn't stop. "You're smart, compassionate, you're an awesome shinobi, and I don't deserve you. And let me tell you this: I'm so impossibly lucky to have

you, and I-"

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

(ONE WEEK LATER…)

Shizune burst into the Hokage's office, a sealed scroll in her hand.

Sakumo looked up. "What is it?" He asked, his brow furrowing.

Shizune seemed out of breath. "The autopsy is completed, Hokage-sama. You have to read this."

Sakumo took the scroll from her outstretched hand. He unrolled it carefully, and as he set it on his desk, he began to read.

His expression managed to convey a multitude of emotions: anger, shock, surprise, worry, and bewilderment. Only by careful analysis would Sakumo's face betray another

emotion: fear.

When he was finished reading, he sat up. "Excellent work Shizune. The first thing I want you to do is burn everything you have on this project; every material that you used or

wrote on is to be destroyed, and I also want everyone that you worked with sworn to secrecy. You do realize that the implications of this report are somewhat grave?" She

nodded. "Good. Take the corpse and seal it away within the Vault; I don't want anyone to be able to access it except for me. Secondly, I want every researcher that worked on

the autopsy to be brought here immediately. And thirdly, I'm going to set up an ANBU guard to protect you for the next few days. There's no telling who might want you dead, or

worse. Understand everything?"

"Yes, sir, Hokage-sama!" Said Shizune, bowing.

As Shizune exited, Sakumo spoke to his ANBU bodyguard. "I want you to get Minato Namikaze here as fast as you can."

The ANBU nodded and departed in a swirl of leaves.

Sakumo never thought this creature that Minato had battled would become such a problem. To think, it was composed of plant cells…its creation insinuated that someone or

something was extremely knowledgeable of advanced medical, biological, and genetics skills. Sakumo had no idea how something like this was even dreamed of, let alone

actually accomplished, and although he was glad that the corpse had been recovered, he found himself wishing that he had simply burned it to ashes…

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Minato read the document once more, unbelieving. He sat in the Hokages office, shaking his head, totally shocked at the results of the autopsy on Obito-Zetsu.

_Subject #1: A.K.A, "Zetsu."_

_Subject's D.N.A. is composed of both human and botanical cells, implying a gene splice of the two cells into one sustainable cell. The cells seem to accomplish the purpose of _

_binding and combining with other cells, creating entirely new, complete, hybrid cells. Cellular structure indicates highly adapted tenketsu, once again implying that the subject's _

_purpose is to combine with other cells; tenketsu are amorphous and shapeless, so that they can take on the shape of the host organism's tenketsu. These chakra pathways allow _

_the subject to absorb and integrate the host's chakra nature and techniques, conforming the original cells to the host organism's D.N.A. Therefore, when Subject #1 received a _

_new host organism, the entire creature was capable of performing any and all of the host's techniques. _

_After testing, results indicated that Subject #1 has earth nature chakra; subject also possesses a peculiar Kekkei-Genkai. Researchers were only able to speculate on the exact _

_capabilities of the aforementioned Kekkei-Genkai. _

_Subject #2: A.K.A, "Obito Uchiha."_

_Subject's body was marred with many scars and other signs or both external and internal trauma, implying a cataclysmic event in subject's history. Subject's bones showed _

_multiple signs of fracture and resetting, possibly resulting from severe physical trauma and subsequent healing. Subject's blood was mixed with microscopic spores, as a result of _

_being genetically attached to Subject #1. Subject's blood also yielded an extremely high percentage of white blood cells, which could possibly show that the host's immune _

_system was rejecting the symbiotic relationship between Subject #1 and Subject #2. Other tests resulted in obvious conclusions: Subject #2 possessed the Sharingan and also _

_possessed the Uchiha Clan Kekkei-Genkai, confirming the reports of subject's Uchiha background. _

_Cause of death: massive internal damage caused by a fast moving, sharp object or jutsu. Evisceration of internal organs and subsequent internal bleeding ultimately cause organ _

_failure, which was the cause of death. _

_**Note: I have never seen anything like "Zetsu" in my entire medical career. The creature seems to have been created from simple botanical cells, and then **_

_**spliced with human cells to give it self-awareness. I have not the slightest clue as to whose human cells were spliced, but as for the botanical cells, they seem **_

_**to resemble the cells of the First Hokage's Wood Style; the human cells also must be compatible with the organic ones, and so I believe the human cells were **_

_**possibly stolen from someone in the Senju Clan. This is all speculation on my part, however, because I have no way of proving or disproving my theory, as the **_

_**First Hokage's body seems to have gone missing… Anyway, I highly recommend further study so that we may be able to find out more about this organism **_

_**known as "Zetsu".**_

_**Head of the Medical Corps of Konoha,**_

_**Shizune**_

"We'll…what do you think?" Inquired Sakumo.

"I think the medical team did well in their examination." Minato replied. "Did you authorize further research?"

Sakumo shook his head. "No. I've ordered the team into secret, and I'm going to seal this scroll so that no one can open it but me. I've also ordered that all test material and

documentation be destroyed. I know that you can understand that this information is top secret, and so I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone, even your wife."

"Of course." Said Minato.

"Very well. On another matter, I've talked with Danzo and his ANBU root division, and I've authorized a full investigation on Madara Uchiha. Root will be out there searching for

him, and will report back to me on anything that they find. Now, I know that you're probably burning with the desire to find Madara yourself and punish him, but I have to ask

that you refrain from doing so. Everything is being handled properly, and I don't want tour personal feelings to make you do something foolish."

"As you order Hokage-sama," Minato clenched his fist. "I won't go looking for him."

Sakumo stared at him for a moment. "I'll hold you to your word."

There was a pause, which Minato broke. "Have you talked to Kakashi yet?"

Sakumo's face turned somewhat graver. "Yes, I have, and he's doing well actually, considering all that he's been through. Then again, what should I expect from my son the

jonin?"

Minato smiled. "He's definitely something to be proud of. I would have been in trouble if he hadn't come along when he did."

"Yes, Kakashi is quite the young man. Reminds me a bit of another young man I used to know… right Minato?"

Minato laughed. "I suppose, although I still consider myself a young man. I still remember your training sessions in the Academy too, _Sensei-Hatake_."

Now it was Sakumo's turn to laugh. "Good, good. I always thought you kids would hate me for being too hard on you back in those days."

"Well, to be honest, there were a lot of times I did hate you."

"Hey, at least my lessons helped you become who you are today right?" Sakumo asked.

Minato grinned. "Yeah, they did. So thanks, sensei." Minato stood up. "I think it's about time I go though. Kushina will want to beat me to death when I get home because I was

supposed to help her with dinner."

Sakumo chuckled. "Ah, to be young again."

Minato saluted. "Till next time, farewell, Hokage-sama."

"See you." Sakumo said as Minato vanished.

At times like these he missed his own wife…

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

(IN THE LAND OF WATERFALL…)

Kakuzu released the two shinobi and watched as they crumpled to the ground, lifeless. These two ninja were wanted by the Land of Earth's daimyo for multiple murders, and

their bounty was fairly large. Unfortunately for Kakuzu, the two shinobi- if that's what they could even be called- hadn't put up much of a fight; in fact, at the end, they had

dropped their weapons and begged Kakuzu for their lives. Kakuzu didn't bother with taking their hearts, because they weren't strong enough for his tastes, but their heads… their

heads were worth taking.

An inky black, ropy tendril shot out and decapitated the two corpses in one swift stroke. Kakuzu tied the two heads together with his tendrils and slung them over his shoulder.

With his free hand, he pulled out a map with his and looked for the quickest way to the Land of Earth, but he closed the map when the space in front of him began to warp and

contort.

A masked man cloaked in black stood before him, looking nonthreatening enough, but pouring out malicious chakra that, compared to Kakuzu's, made the bounty hunter look

like a slack-jawed genin. Kakuzu's hearts began to beat a little faster, not because he was afraid, but because he was excited…maybe this man would put up a good fight.

"You're Kakuzu of the Waterfall, right?" The masked man asked with his hands at his sides.

"Who wants to know?" Kakuzu bit back. This man could be a bounty hunter too; everyone knew that Kakuzu of the Waterfall was a highly wanted figure. "How about you give me

your name first?"

"Hmph." The masked man snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "My name…is Madara Uchiha."

Kakuzu held back a response, although top be honest, he was working harder to hold back his shock. He didn't know if the man was lying, or simply wanted to scare him by

claiming to be the Uchiha clan's most powerful figurehead. He shook his head. "Anyone can claim to be anyone. Show me some proof, 'Uchiha'."

Kakuzu's eyes were drawn to the right side of "Madara's" mask, where a black eye-hole seemed to emanate a reddish light. Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, as the red light intensified

and hypnotized him.

"Sharingan!" Madara said, and his eye spun.

Kakuzu found himself in another world, where everything was made of money. The grass was made of money, the trees were silver, and their leaves were sheets of beaten gold.

The sea was made up of golden coins, and the dirt itself was filled with sparkling diamonds. Kakuzu was in paradise.

He reached down and tried pulling out a clump of money-grass, but as soon as he touched it, the grass turned to stone. He tried again in a different spot, with the same result.

He dipped his hands in the sea of coins, only for the whole sea to petrify into stone. He hugged a silver tree; it turned to stone. He grabbed at the golden leaves, and they turned

to stone in his hands. Only then did Kakuzu realize that this was not paradise, it was his worst nightmare! Nothing had value! Everything he touched was worthless! And all he

could do was look at the world around him, but anything he laid hands on became insignificant, petty, nothing.

He screamed in frustration and anger. He smashed his fist against the ground, leaving a huge crater; then he looked at his own hands, and saw that they too, were turning to

stone before his eyes.

"Gugh!" He gasped out, and sank to his knees, as the genjutsu around him was released.

"Is that proof enough, Kakuzu of the Waterfall?" The masked Uchiha asked smugly.

Kakuzu launched a fist at the man, his black tendrils following the fist in a squirming line; but the fist only went through Madara, hitting empty air. Kakuzu withdrew the hand,

and it passed through the Uchiha again.

"What are you?" Kakuzu demanded. "And how can you possibly be Madara Uchiha?"

Madara chuckled. "Kakuzu…you of all people should know that men can live longer than is natural…how many shinobi hearts do you carry now?"

Kakuzu growled threateningly. _How does he know?_ He thought, for no human that had ever fought him had lived to tell his secrets.

Madara held up his hands pleadingly, palms out. "I'm not here to fight you or start a conflict with you; I'm here, because I have a proposition for you."

That got Kakuzu's attention. "Go on…" He prodded.

"I'm starting an organization…one that will need to gather a large amount of money. I'd like you to be our official treasurer."

"What do I get out of this?" Kakuzu asked, although, truth be told, his interest was definitely piqued.

"You'd be able to hunt any and all bounties that you come across, plus you would have the chance to battle incredible shinobi and, well… add them to your repertoire. I would

also give you a percentage of the organizations funds as payment for your services as treasurer. Added to that, you would have the full protection of our organization; I can tell

right now that fighting alone will eventually catch up to you. I'll give you a partner of your choosing, and all I ask is that you follow my commands when I give them. Otherwise,

you can do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't draw too much attention to our organization."

Kakuzu thought for a moment. True, he was getting tired of always being on the run, hiding from the hunter-ninja sent out to kill him. A partner might be nice, and he would be

making more money than he was now…

It was most definitely the money that decided it for him.

"Well…?" Madara inquired. "Do we have an agreement?"

Kakuzu rose to his feet, his hand extending. "You have an agreement." He said.

Madara accepted the hand and shook it; all the while his smile was hidden behind his spiral mask…


	7. Strike Team

Sakumo narrowed his eyes at the grizzled, bandaged wrapped man in front of him.

"You said you had information for me, Danzo?" Sakumo asked.

"Yes, I do, Hokage-sama; very important information, in fact." His one visible eye seemed to sparkle. "The team that I sent to investigate Madara Uchiha's whereabouts has discovered something: a base, to be more precise. It seems as if Madara is operating out of this base."

Sakumo was stunned. "Are they absolutely sure of this?"

"There is no doubt. They've seen Madara with their own eyes."

"Where is this base located?" Sakumo asked, filled with excitement.

"The base is located outside of the Hidden Grass Village, according to my reports."

"What are we waiting for? We need to assemble a strike team immediately." Sakumo turned to his assistant. "Have every able-bodied and available jonin report to my office immediately. If they've been assigned missions already, tell them that they have a new mission of the utmost importance."

"Yes, sir, Hokage-sama!" The assistant scurried off to his duty.

"Do you realize what this means, Danzo? If we can take out Madara now…" Sakumo's dream might be accomplished: a time when there was no war and peace prevailed in the hearts and minds of all shinobi.

"I realize the implications." Danzo said stoically.

"Good, because if this information proves to be accurate, then I would need to thank you in some way for a job well done; say, like a promotion to become my top advisor…"

Danzo held back his surprise. Top advisor? He had never been offered any type of advisory position before…

"Of course, I understand that you might not want to leave Root behind…"

"No, Hokage-sama, your offer is most gracious, and besides, I have someone I know I can trust that will run Root just as well, if not better, than I can."

Sakumo smiled. "Perfect. It's settled then."

Sakumo spent the next twenty minutes talking with Danzo, discussing the information his spies had recovered in a more thorough manner.

"Excellent, Danzo, excellent-"

Just then Sakumo's assistant ran into the room, panting heavily.

"I found as many as I could, Hokage-sama." The assistant held open the door for Fugaku Uchiha, Shikaku Nara, Hizashi Hyuga, Minato Namikaze, and Tsume Inuzuka with her _ninken_, Kuromaru.

"Good work Tsubasa, you may take a seat." Sakumo said to his assistant, before looking at each jonin. "As of now, I am making you all into a strike team. Your target is the ever illusive Madara Uchiha."

The jonins broke out in conversation, except for Minato, who seethed quietly to himself.

"Madara has been found?" Fugaku asked.

"Yes, he has, and that is why you're all here. You're going to find him, and you're going to kill him."

Sakumo could almost feel everyone's mood turn grave. "That's right, this is an officially sanctioned assassination mission; I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us. Madara Uchiha is a huge threat to not only Konoha, but to the entire ninja world and we have the opportunity to get rid of him. All of you are tasked with ensuring his death." He paused. "If any of you have reservations, you may leave now."

No one moved an inch.

"Very well. For this mission, I am giving the role of team captain to Minato Namikaze." Minato looked startled, but Sakumo explained his reasoning. "Minato has fought Madara the most, and probably knows the most about him, so he is the most logical choice for captain."

"I thought you didn't want me going after him?" Said Minato.

"Well, I changed my mind Minato, and I'm giving you official permission to hunt him down. Are you saying you don't want to be on this mission?"

"Of course not." Minato said.

"Good. Shikaku Nara, you will be this team's strategist; you will formulate all battle formations and account for any possible situation that your team might be faced with. Hizashi and Tsume, you are both skilled trackers, and that will be your roles for this mission. Fugaku, you're most likely the best ninjutsu user here and you also possess the Sharingan. I trust you to counter any and all genjutsu attacks that Madara uses against your team."

"I understand, Hokage-sama." Fugaku said with his stern face.

"Does anyone have any questions?" Sakumo inquired.

Hizashi asked the first question. "Do we know if Madara has any support? Is he alone?"

Sakumo glanced at Danzo. "Go ahead."

The veteran spoke in his gravelly voice. "According to my reports, Madara is alone; he has no allies and nobody to help him."

"What about his skills? What type of jutsu does he use?" Asked Tsume.

Sakumo looked to Minato this time. "Go ahead, team captain."

Minato nodded resolutely. "Madara actually doesn't use much in the way of ninjutsu, at least, from what I've seen in my battle with him. I assume that since he possesses the sharingan, he can use genjutsu adeptly, but he hasn't actually used any on me. However, I have seen his taijutsu skills first hand, and they are formidable."

Tsume and Kuromaru shared a giddy glance. Tsume was what known as a "tokubetsu jonin", which meant that she was specialized in a specific area, that area being taijutsu.

"However…Madara is almost impossible to even hit, because he uses some type of space-time ninjutsu that makes him intangible. All your attacks will go straight through him, even though it seems like they should hit. Plus, his Sharingan gives him the ability to track even the fastest of movement, so that aids in his evading and blocking skills. I only defeated him by carefully timing my Flying Thunder God Technique; if I faced him now, I'm sure he would've adapted his jutsu to account for my own technique."

"Hmm…that's not very helpful." The ever-optimistic Shikaku complained. "What can you tell us about his fighting style? Is he aggressive, or defensive?"

Minato closed his eyes and thought for a moment, replaying his battle with Madara in his mind's eye. "When I fought him, he was very overconfident with himself. He was definitely the aggressor, but at one point… he threatened to hurt Naruto in front of me…He can be a coward when he's backed into a corner, so there's no telling what he would do when he realizes that he's outnumbered. In my opinion, he's very skilled and analytical, and he knows the balance between attacking and defending; he's an experienced fighter, and even though we'll have the advantage of numbers, I wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating him."

"Thank you Minato. Any other questions? No? Then I'll tell you where exactly Madara has been tracked to. Danzo, if you will…" Sakumo stood as Danzo began marking a world map with a brush. Sakumo pointed to a certain spot on the map before saying, "Danzo's agents have pinpointed Madara's location in a cave outside the Hidden Grass Village, near the Earth Country border. The cave entrance was disguised with a genjutsu, but Danzo's agents were able to see through it and into the cave itself; it appears as if Madara has set up a laboratory within the cave and is conducting experiments on the wildlife around the Earth Country's mountains." Danzo handed out a marked map scroll to each jonin. "Each one of you has been given a copy of this marked map, and each map has the exact route that you need to take to arrive at Madara's base. The journey should take about three days if you travel at the average speed. Any more questions?"

No one asked any more questions. "Alright then, you're all dismissed. Feel free to go to the armory and take whatever supplies you need for your trip. We'll meet at the Konoha Gate tomorrow at noon."

All the jonin filed out of the room, except for Danzo, who stayed in place.

"I would like to make a request." The veteran said.

"Go ahead." Sakumo replied, wondering what Danzo could possibly want.

"I would like to accompany this team on their mission, Hokage-sama."

Sakumo kept his shock under restraint as Danzo continued. "I know it came from nowhere, but I feel a personal responsibility in this matter. Madara's existence is a blight upon our way of life here in Konoha and a danger to our citizens; I want to see his destruction with my own…eye."

"I see." Sakumo replied. "Your request is reasonable enough. Your experience wouldn't hurt the team either, although I'm not sure if you're up to the trip-"

"I may not look like it, but I can still keep up to this generation." Danzo retorted.

Sakumo considered the situation for a moment. "Very well. If you can handle it, then I officially assign you a position in the strike team. Is there anything else you need?"

"Actually, yes there is." Danzo said. "I would ask your authorization to retrieve any of Madara's research from his laboratory."

Sakumo narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "And what is your reasoning behind this request?"

"First off, we both know that Madara is exceptional in the field of science; that monster Zetsu is proof enough of that. I would like to use his research to benefit the Hidden Leaf, and there is also a technique that I'm working on that requires the First Hokage's cells, which I believe Madara is in possession of…"

"I guess that's fine then, if there aren't any ulterior motives behind your thinking…?"

Danzo shook his head. "There is not, Hokage-sama."

"Fine. To be honest, I was going to ask you to recover any research material that you found anyway. Even though he is our enemy, he's undeniably brilliant, and I know that we can use his research for our own benefit. In no way am I condoning Madara's no doubt sick experimentations, but we could use his knowledge to save the lives of future shinobi. As for Hashirama's cells…I trust you to make the right decision with them."

Danzo was pleasantly astonished. Sarutobi had always distrusted him and looked at him through the eyes of a doubter; Danzo wasn't used to being trusted by anyone, let alone the current Hokage. He promised himself at that moment that he would never act outside of the Hidden Leaf's interest, and that he would never let Sakumo Hatake down.

"T-thank you, Hokage-sama. I…appreciate your trust." Danzo said.

Sakumo waved his hand. "No thanks are necessary, Danzo. But unless there is anything else that you need, you are also dismissed."

Danzo slowly left the room, leaning on his wooden cane.

"Tsubasa." Sakumo said.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" The Hokage's assistant asked.

"Find Orochimaru and bring him here. I need his opinion on something."

Tsubasa swallowed nervously. "Y-yes Hokage-sama, right away."

Sakumo closed his eyes and exhaled. Madara Uchiha…would soon be dead.

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Sakumo tapped his finger on his desk, impatiently waiting for Tsubasa to return. It was unlike his assistant to be so late in fulfilling a request…

An ANBU burst through the door. "Hokage-sama! There's been a break in in the Forbidden Library!"

"What?" Sakumo rushed to his feet. "Take me there, now!"

Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ Ɵ

Sakumo gasped at the sight before him.

Tsubasa lay on the floor, in a spreading pool of crimson blood, every one of his limbs hacked off of his body. His eyes were gouged out, and his belly had been ripped open, spilling ropy cords of glistening intestines onto the ground.

Orochimaru sat in the corner, huddled over a pile of books and scrolls. His pallid face was stretched in a maniacal grin; he was clearly enjoying the carnage that he had created and was reveling in his reading of forbidden jutsu.

"Orochimaru!" Sakumo roared. "What have you done?"

Orochimaru rose slowly from his crouch, his head bowed and his dark hair fanning out to frame his pale face. His yellow, reptilian eyes shone with madness.

"I have done nothing, Sakumo; I am simply pursuing my dreams of mastering every known jutsu, and this little man stood in my way." He pointed to Tsubasa's still bleeding corpse. "You don't want to stand in my way either."

"You're insane Orochimaru! You are hereby charged with murder and with breaking into the Forbidden Library, an act of treason! For these crimes you are sentenced to immediate death!" Sakumo exclaimed furiously.

Orochimaru just chuckled in defiance, utterly remorseless. "You can't kill me." He drew out the words slowly, tauntingly.

"We'll see." Sakumo withdrew his tanto from its sheath on his back before turning to the ANBU that had escorted him here. "Go get reinforcements." He told the man, and the ANBU scurried off. Sakumo's tanto began to glow white as he charged it with his chakra.

Orochimaru licked his lips in anticipation.


End file.
